Because all angels smile
by tintenstern
Summary: Alfred wants to make Arthur smile. When he does, it will always be for him. USUK, character death.


For the usxuk Summer Camp, theme Smile.

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><p><strong>Because all angels smile<strong>

Alfred had been ten years old when his mother told him a boy would now be living with their family; the son of a good friend of hers. "Be nice to him," Alfred's mother had said, "he lost his family, so we have to do our best to be his new family and to make him feel at home." Alfred had nodded, happy for any opportunity to show that he was a hero. His mother had smiled and ruffled his hair, calling him a good boy. At that time, Alfred hadn't understood why his mother had looked sad when she was smiling, because people smile when they are happy, and cry when they are sad.

When Arthur arrived at their house, the first thing Alfred noticed were his huge eyebrows. The second thing was that he was as pale as a ghost and looked very, very tired. But the thing that captured him were his eyes. They were a bright green color, but there didn't seem to be any light in them. They were sadder than anything Alfred had seen before. It was then that Alfred knew that he wanted to fill those green orbs with light. He wanted to see them shine like emeralds.

He wanted to make Arthur smile.

XXXXXXX

When Alfred woke up, he was greeted by sunbeams on his face. He jumped up to look out of the window and seeing the bright light and clear blue sky, he knew it was going to be a great day. With a huge smile on his face, he dressed for the day and went to have breakfast with his family. Entering the living room, he saw Arthur sitting by the window. The boy was looking out at the garden, but his expression seemed so much different to the one Alfred had had on his own face earlier.

"Good morning!," Alfred greeted in a cheerful tone and was greeted back by his mother who was setting the table, and his father who was reading the newspaper. Arthur didn't seem to take any notice, so he approached him directly. "Good morning, Arthur!," he tried with his brightest smile, "it's a great day, isn't it?"

Arthur turned to look at him and at least this time, he returned a quiet "good morning" before turning back to the window.

Alfred didn't give up yet, though. "Why are you looking out of the window?," he asked, "is there anything interesting out there?"

The other boy nodded slowly. "I'm looking for fairies," he answered, "but I haven't seen any, so far."

"Fairies?," Alfred echoed, surprised. "I didn't know they were real."

"Of course they are!," Arthur said as if it was the most obvious thing, "I often talk to them, but it's been a while since I last met one."

Alfred didn't really get that part, but used it to make a suggestion. "Why don't we go out in the garden later? Maybe they're just too shy to come out and you'll meet them when you go to see them."

Arthur shook his head, but before either of them could say another word, they were called for breakfast. Alfred immediately hopped for the table and looked back to see Arthur's slow, careful movements. He watched him walk and sit down in the chair next to him, expression never changing.

After breakfast, Alfred asked again if Arthur wanted to join him in the garden to play, but was met with another shake of his head. While he tied his shoes, Alfred asked his mother why Arthur didn't want to come outside. Again, she smiled in that strange, sad way and said: "It's better if he stays in the house." Once in the garden, Alfred looked up to see that Arthur was back at the window. He needed to think of new ideas if he wanted to make the boy smile for him.

Before lunch, Alfred returned back inside. He looked around and spotted Arthur still sitting by the window. He walked over to him. "Hey Arthur," he said, "I have something for you." Arthur turned around and fixed his gaze on the fidgeting boy. "Here." Alfred held out his hand, showing the rose he had brought. His fingers were scratched from the thorns, but the soft white petals were undamaged. "Because you're always looking out of the window and watching the roses, I thought you'd like it," he mumbled, "and they're pretty."

"Roses are my favourites," Arthur said quietly, taking the rose, "thank you." And when he smelled it, Alfred thought he'd seen a faint glimmer in his eyes.

Alfred smiled at that. "I'm glad you like it!" His heart was beating with joy. They were called for lunch and he took Arthur's hand. "Come, let's put it in a nice vase!"

His parents smiled when seeing the rose, though his mother scolded him for getting scratched by cutting it on his own. When he saw that the faint glimmer was still in Arthur's eyes, Alfred felt like he had accomplished a lot already. If roses meant that Arthur would smile, he would gladly scratch his hands completely.

After lunch, he asked again if Arthur wanted to go play in the garden, but was rejected. "We have to go to the doctor's," Mrs. Jones said. Mr. Jones agreed to play football with him, but when asked why Arthur had to see the doctor, he didn't answer.

Alfred didn't understand that there could be something wrong that was worse than not smiling.

XXXXXXX

In the following weeks, Alfred would always bring roses for Arthur. He would also join him at the window and talk. Even though he didn't smile, Arthur would sometimes snort at some of the things Alfred told him. The glimmer in his eyes was there more often and whenever he talked about supernatural things such as fairies and angels, it would grow brighter.

Alfred didn't really believe in those things, so they ended up having discussions about it. One time, Arthur insisted that angels were always watching over their loved ones, sometimes hidden, sometimes talking to them, but always smiling. Alfred didn't believe it (and found it a bit scary, too – he didn't like ghosts, either) and asked how he'd know this. Arthur looked down to his feet, quietly saying: "I can see my parents. They're always by my side."

Alfred still found it strange and wanted to see prove. The corner of Arthur's mouth then twitched upwards in amusement. "Fine," the green-eyed boy said, "when I die, I'll come back to you. And then you'll see I was right."

"Only when you're smiling," Alfred blurted out.

The half-smile disappeared again and Arthur closed his eyes, and Alfred noticed that he seemed even paler and more tired than when they had first met. "Of course I'll be smiling," he replied quietly, "because all angels smile."

Towards the end of summer, Arthur claimed he finally spotted a fairy by the roses. Because Alfred couldn't see them, he wanted Arthur to show him where they were. "You know I'm not allowed to go outside," Arthur began, but Alfred interrupted: "Maybe mom and dad will make an exception for the fairies."

Before he could say another word, Arthur started to cough and Mrs. Jones was there at once. Arthur had coughing fits from time to time and every time, Alfred was sent away. Alfred thought it was stupid that Arthur couldn't come outside with him, and that he always had to see the doctor. While at first, they had gone to see the doctor in his office, lately he was always coming to their house. The doctor and his assistant were nice (though the doctor seemed scary sometimes), but Alfred was never allowed to be there, only being greeted when they arrived and left again. He hated being left in the dark. It made him feel like a little child, which he wasn't, he was now eleven, after all! But when he didn't know what was going on and with his mother always smiling in that sad way, he felt confused and lost.

While he was outside, he tried to look for the fairies, but he couldn't see them. But he had a feeling that Arthur would smile when seeing them, so he wanted to make sure it happened. Even if it meant they had to sneak out or he had to pester his parents until they let them go outside. In the end, though, he didn't have to do either: his mother called him, saying they would all have dinner in the garden because it was such a nice day in late summer. The doctor and his assistant were staying, too. They were good friends of the family, so that wasn't too strange, but Alfred couldn't help but wonder if something was wrong.

There was still some time left before dinner was ready, so Tino, the doctor's assistant, played with the boys. The young man lost most of the games, but never his cheerfulness and even Arthur's lips were turned slightly upwards. Tino brought out a camera and took pictures of everyone. After dinner, the adults remained at the table to talk, while Alfred brought Arthur to the rosebush so they could search for the fairies.

"Are you sure they're here?," Alfred asked, "because I can't see them."

Arthur nodded. "The first one I saw earlier was the same colour as your eyes. It's a pretty colour."

Alfred peeked into the bush, brushing the leaves aside. "I think your eyes are prettier," he said. Peeking even further into the bush, Alfred saw a sparkling light. "I can see something!," he cried out, "look! Is that a fairy?"

Arthur stood at his side to peek into the bush as well. Other lights had started to appear, too and they fluttered around them, leaving feathery touches on their skin. Arthur's eyes were shining as bright as the lights and his smile was really there this time, and Alfred thought he looked beautiful, as if he'd just stepped out of a fairytale. "I'm glad I could see them one more time," Arthur whispered.

"What do you mean?," Alfred questioned in confusion.

Arthur turned to him. "And I'm glad I met you. I'm happy we could see them together before I..." He fell forward and Alfred caught him in his arms, looking confused and panicked. "Remember... I promised I will come back to see you and smile. Because all angels smile."

Even when his breathing had stopped, the smile remained on Arthur's face. Alfred cried and didn't notice when his mother embraced him, consoling him through her own tears, saying that now Arthur was able to see his family again and wasn't in pain anymore, and that Alfred had given him a happy last memory.

But all Alfred could think was how unfair it was that Arthur had to go when he was finally really smiling and was able to see the fairies, and he felt left alone. He didn't see that the lights had disappeared and the newborn angel was looking at him, smiling, before disappearing as well.

XXXXXXX

Years later, when Alfred was a young adult, the memory of Arthur was still vivid. He always carried with him one of the photos Tino had taken on that late summer's evening and when he closed his eyes, he could feel his presence. When he was alone, angel Arthur would appear by his side, sometimes just being there, embracing him with his wings, sometimes talking like they used to, but always smiling. Alfred would smile, too, because he knew that Arthur had kept his promise and was smiling just for him.

Alfred was now a priest. Whenever someone had lost their loved ones, he would console them with the words he now knew were true. "Angels are always watching over their loved ones, sometimes hidden, sometimes talking, but always smiling." When asked how he was so sure of it, he'd answer: "Someone I loved dearly is always by my side and smiling." And the answer to the question if their loved ones would really do that, too, was always the same, that of course, they'd be smiling.

"Because all angels smile."


End file.
